Today two more similar-looking Spanish nouns step forward and take their bow as they smilingly present their uses and differences. These are gesto (masculine) and gesta (feminine).
Let’s start with gesto (masculine), whose pronunciation you can listen to here:
Un gesto is a meaningful movement you make with your hands or another part of your body to express something. It is often the same as a gesture in English:
Entonces el paciente empezó a gritar realizando gestos obscenos.
Then the patient started shouting while making obscene gestures.
Teresa está representada con las manos alzadas en un gesto de éxtasis.
Teresa is represented with her hands raised in a gesture of ecstasy.
Con un gesto, le pidió que aguardara un segundo.
She gestured to him to wait for a moment.
El conductor les hizo enérgicos gestos para que se detuvieran.
The driver gestured frantically at them to stop.
Miré a David; me contenté con hacerle un pequeño gesto con la cabeza.
I looked at David, and contented myself with giving him a slight nod.
Unlike gesture in English, un gesto is also used of facial expressions and facial movements ‒ an expression:
Lo mira con gesto serio.
She looks at him with a serious expression or seriously.
Se usa esta tecnología para analizar nuestros gestos faciales, nuestros movimientos corporales y el tono de nuestra voz y determinar si estamos tristes, enfadados o alegres.
This technology is used to analyse our expressions, bodily movements and tone of voice to determine whether we are sad, angry or happy.
Es importante que nuestros gestos faciales, nuestra actitud corporal, y nuestros movimientos sean coherentes con lo que estamos intentando transmitir a través de las palabras.
Our expressions, body language and movements need to be in keeping with what we’re trying to express through our words.
Un gesto is also another kind of action taken to convey something such as an attitude or intention – a gesture:
No fue un gesto romántico sino uno de rabia.
It wasn’t a romantic gesture but one of rage.
Marta le ofrece un pastelillo como gesto de gratitud.
Marta gives him a tart as a thank you gesture.
Pero estos gestos de buena voluntad no surtieron el efecto previsto.
But these goodwill gestures did not have the desired effect.
Turning to gesta (feminine), you can listen to its pronunciation here:
Una gesta is a memorable achievement worthy of celebration – a heroic deed or an epic achievement, depending on the context:
Tras una larga lista de sus muchas gestas, propuso que tanto él como Pompeyo renunciaran a sus mandos.
After a long list of his many heroic deeds, he suggested that both he and Pompey give up their commands.
Querían conmemorar las gestas militares de sus antepasados.
They wanted to commemorate the heroic military achievements of their ancestors.
Actualmente solo hay 15 equipos que han logrado realizar esta gesta.
Currently, there are only 15 teams who have managed to pull off this epic achievement.
Sin embargo en la Copa, lograron una de las gestas más épicas de su historia.
However, in the Cup, they pulled off one of the most epic achievements in their history.
Una gesta, or more usually un cantar de gesta or una canción de gesta, is also a medieval poem about mythical or historic deeds – an epic (poem):
La Gesta fue escrita durante la segunda mitad del siglo XII por un autor no identificado.
The epic (poem) was written in the second half of the 12th century by an unknown author.
Hay un centenar de canciones de gesta francesas.
There are about a hundred French epic poems.
QUIZ TIME
See if you know or can work out the meanings of the underlined words and expressions below, which are all connected with reactions or facial expressions.
- Siempre frunce el ceño y está poco acostumbrado a sonreír.
- Hace una mueca de disgusto.
- Arroyo le guiña un ojo a Sofía.
- Levanté las cejas para expresar incredulidad.
- Sánchez ha respondido con un gesto, negando con la cabeza.
- Todo lo que podía hacer Maite era asentir con la cabeza.
- Eso sería para mí una razón suficiente para no ser yo religioso, explica arrugando la nariz.
- Una vez que le dicen que la policía lo está persiguiendo, comienza a morderse el labio, mostrando lo nervioso que está.
- Le digo que no con la cabeza.
- Se le escapa un suspiro.
ANSWERS
1. Siempre frunce el ceño y está poco acostumbrado a sonreír.
He always frowns and is not much in the habit of smiling.
2. Hace una mueca de disgusto.
She screws up her face in disgust. or She pulls an expression of disgust.
3. Arroyo le guiña un ojo a Sofía.
Arroyo winks at Sofía.
4. Levanté las cejas para expresar incredulidad.
I raised my eyebrows in incredulity.
5. Sánchez ha respondido con un gesto, negando con la cabeza.
Sánchez responded with a gesture, shaking his head.
6. Todo lo que podía hacer Maite era asentir con la cabeza.
All Maite could do was nod (her head in agreement).
7. Eso sería para mí una razón suficiente para no ser yo religioso, explica arrugando la nariz.
For me that would be reason enough for not being religious, he explains, wrinkling his nose.
8. Comienza a morderse el labio, mostrando lo nervioso que está.
He starts biting or to bite his lip, showing how nervous he is.
9. Le digo que no con la cabeza.
I shake my head at him.
10. Se le escapa un suspiro.
She lets out a sigh.
To delve into the usage of some more similar-looking Spanish words, come back next week.
